Five teams are still alive in both Region 8-AA and Region 7-AAA with several crucial matchups Friday night. Not even powerhouse Buford has secured a region title as the No. 1-ranked Wolves still must face No. 7 North Hall next week at The Brickyard.
Meanwhile, West Hall is in the playoff hunt for the first time since 2002 and can secure a spot with a win tonight at home against White County.
In the Region 8-AAAA, however, Chestatee and Monroe will battle it out tonight in Monroe for the region title. The War Eagles are looking for their first-ever region title in football.
For a look at all of the night's contests involving area teams, simply scroll down. And be sure to check back with Access North Georgia and our Friday Game Night page throughout the night for score updates and game stories and video highlights. You can also check for scores and highlights on our Twitter feed @FridayGameNight
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FOR Nov. 1
APALACHEE at HERITAGE, CONYERS
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE:
-- APALACHEE (0-8, 0-6 Region 8-AAAAA): Lost 27-7 to Salem last week.
-- HERITAGE, CONYERS (5-4, 4-3 Region 8-AAAAA): Defeated Loganville 21-7 last week.
-- HISTORY: Heritage won 42-0 last year. The Patriots lead the series 3-2. . .Heritage has won two straight in the series. . .Heritage put a stranglehold on fourth place in the region with last week's win and needs just one win to clinch a playoff spot. . .It has been a tough year for the Wildcats, especially on defense, where they are allowing over 40 ppg. . .They are trying to avoid their worst season going 1-9 in Shane Davis's first season. They have never gone winless in a season in their history.
CHESTATEE at MONROE AREA
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Legion Field, Monroe
-- RADIO: 102.9 FM
-- CHESTATEE (7-1, 5-0 Region 8-AAAA): Defeated Lumpkin County 42-14 last week.
-- MONROE AREA (8-0, 5-0 Region 8-AAAA): Defeated Madison County 68-14 last week. The Purple Hurricanes are ranked No. 4 in Class AAAA.
-- HISTORY: Monroe Area won 35-14 last year. The Hurricanes lead the series 3-0. . .The region title last year came down to these two and Chestatee is hoping for a different outcome. The War Eagles are seeking their first-ever region title. . .Despite the defense playing outstanding allowing just 38 points (7.6 ppg) over their last five games, the War Eagles will need their best effort of the season. . . Monroe Area is averaging a whopping 55.7 ppg on the season. It also has proved to be a tough matchup for Chestatee in the series. The Hurricanes have averaged over 34 ppg against Chestatee in the three meetings. . .While a lot is made of the potent Monroe offense, the Hurricanes have yielded just 80 total points on the season (10.0 ppg) on defense.
CLARKE CENTRAL at WINDER-BARROW
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: W. Clair Harris Stadium, Winder
-- CLARKE CENTRAL (5-3, 4-2 Region 8-AAAAA): Lost 37-7 to Flowery Branch last week.
-- WINDER-BARROW (1-7, 0-6 Region 8-AAAAA): Lost 27-6 to Cedar Shoals last week.
-- HISTORY: Clarke Central won 38-7 last year. The Gladiators lead the series 11-0. . .Despite last week's loss, the Gladiators are firmly entrenched in third place in the region. But, they need a win to rebuild confidence after dropping two straight. . .The Bulldoggs have struggled most of the season. After averaging just under 20 ppg the first four games of the season, they have scored just 26 total points since (6.5 ppg).
EAST HALL at BUFORD
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Tom Riden Stadium, Buford
-- EAST HALL (4-4, 1-4 Region 7-AAA): Defeated Banks County 33-7 last week.
-- BUFORD (8-0, 5-0 Region 7-AAA): Defeated Fannin County 45-8 last week. Ranked No. 1 in Class AAA.
-- HISTORY: Buford won 49-6 last year in first meeting since 2005. The Wolves lead the series 6-5. . .Buford has continued to roll and the defense has been dominating allowing just 5.6 ppg on the season with three shutouts. Offensively, the Wolves have scored 38 or more points in every game averaging 52.5 ppg. . .East Hall snapped a three-game losing streak last week and has already been eliminated from the playoffs. The Vikings, however, are just two plays from being in the thick of the playoff race with close losses to Dawson County and White County. Offensively, East Hall has averaged over 30 ppg on the season despite being shut out once and scoring just seven points in one other game.
FANNIN COUNTY at DAWSON COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Tiger Stadium, Dawsonville
-- FANNIN COUNTY (2-6, 1-4 Region 7-AAA): Lost 45-8 to Buford last week.
-- DAWSON COUNTY (4-4, 2-3 Region 7-AAA): Lost 17-10 to White County last week.
-- HISTORY: Dawson County won 54-12 last year. Fannin County leads the series 6-3. . .The Tigers have won three straight in the series and need a win this week to stay alive in the playoff race. They have lost two straight aand three of their last four games overall. But, a win tonight will set up a showdown with West Hall next week for the final playoff spot. . .Offense has been hard to come by for the Rebels, who have scored just 28 total points the last four games. Dawson County is allowing 27.5 ppg on defense.
FRANKLIN COUNTY at EAST JACKSON
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Commerce
-- FRANKLIN COUNTY (0-8, 0-5 Region 8-AAA):
-- EAST JACKSON (1-7, 0-5 Region 8-AAA):
-- HISTORY: Franklin County won 41-21 last year in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. . .A battle to stay out of the cellar in Region 8-AAA. Both teams have struggled on defense. The Lions have allowed 38.6 ppg while the Eagles have given up 41 ppg on the season. . .Franklin County has lost 10 straight games and 16 of their last 17 going back to last year. . .East Jackson is just 1-23 going back to the 2011 season.
GAINESVILLE at LOGANVILLE
-- WHEN: 8 p.m.
-- WHERE: Red Devil Stadium, Loganville
-- RADIO: 1240 AM
-- GAINESVILLE (7-1, 6-0 Region 8-AAAAA): Bye last week. Defeated Clarke Central 56-28 two weeks ago. Ranked No. 4 in Class AAAAA.
-- LOGANVILLE (4-4, 3-3 Region 8-AAAAA): Lost 21-7 to Heritage last week.
-- HISTORY: Loganville won 46-41 last year. The Red Devils lead the series 7-1. . .Gainesville has not beaten Loganville since 1996 and are looking for a measure of revenge after falling to the Red Devils in an upset last year at City Park. . .No matter what happens tonight, however, Gainesville is set for a showdown next week against Flowery Branch for the region title for a second straight season. . .The Red Elephants have been pummeling opponents since losing to Buford averaging more than 50 ppg. . .Loganville has not had much success at home going 0-4 at Red Devil Stadium this season. The Red Devils will need to win out and hope for a Heritage loss this week to get into the playoffs.
GREENE COUNTY at RABUN COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Frank Snyder Stadium, Tiger
-- GREENE COUNTY (3-5, 2-3 Region 8-AA): Defeated Oglethorpe County 16-15 last week.
-- RABUN COUNTY (6-2, 3-2 Region 8-AA): Defeated Union County 42-18 last week.
-- HISTORY: Greene County won 27-14 last year. The Tigers lead the series 3-0. . .The Wildcats snapped a two-game losing streak last week in a must-win. They hold the tiebreaker edge over Union and lead Greene County and Riverside Military by one game with two games left. A win tonight would almost assure them of a second straight state playoff appearance for the first time in school history. . .Rabun County is 4-0 at home this season while the Tigers are 2-4 on the road.
JACKSON COUNTY at ELBERT COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: The Granite Bowl, Elberton
-- JACKSON COUNTY (3-5, 3-2 Region 8-AAA): Defeated Oconee County 56-27 last week.
-- ELBERT COUNTY (6-2, 5-0 Region 8-AAA): Defeated Hart County 23-21 last week. The Blue Devils are ranked No. 7 in Class AAA.
-- HISTORY: Jackson County 33-28 last year. Elbert County leads the series 6-1. . .Elbert County took over first place in the region with last week's battle of unbeaten teams. The Blue Devils have won five straight behind an offense that has put up 36.4 ppg in that span. The Panthers also have gotten their offense going averaging 38.2 ppg over their past five games. . .Defensively Elbert has been stout, especially in the region, allowing just 13.6 ppg in region games. . .The Panthers are tied with Morgan CXounty for the final playoff spot and the two teams will close out the regular season against each other next week.
JEFFERSON at RIVERSIDE MILITARY ACADEMY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Maginnis Field, Gainesville
-- JEFFERSON (6-2, 4-1 Region 8-AA): Defeated Social Circle 68-0 last week. The Dragons are ranked No. 10 in Class AA.
-- RIVERSIDE MILITARY ACADEMY (4-4, 2-3 Region 8-AA): Defeated Glascock County 66-0 last week.
-- HISTORY: Jefferson won 35-7 last year. The Dragons lead the series 7-0. . .Jefferson can clinch a playoff spot with a win Friday but needs to win out to take the No. 2 seed into the playoffs. . .Riverside is still alive for a playoff berth but needs to win out and get some help. A loss would eliminate the Eagles.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY at TOWNS COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Frank McClure Stadium, Hiawassee
-- LAKEVIEW ACADEMY (2-6, playing non-region schedule): Lost 30-3 to St. Francis last week.
-- TOWNS COUNTY (2-6, playing non-region schedule): Defeated North Cobb Christian 42-7 last week.
-- HISTORY: Lakeview Academy won 34-0 last year. Lakeview leads the series 5-1. . .It's the regular season finale for the Lions, who are trying to finish the season with a two-game win streak. Defensively Lakeview has played well down the stretch allowing just 21 total points over the past three weeks. . .The Indians have scored more than 17 points just once on the season. They are allowing 30.8 ppg.
LANIER at LUMPKIN COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: The Burial Grounds, Dahlonega
-- LANIER (6-2, 3-2 Region 8-AAAA): Defeated Stephens County 31-14 last week.
-- LUMPKIN COUNTY (1-7, 1-4 Region 8-AAAA): Lost 42-14 to Chestatee last week.
-- HISTORY: Lanier won 24-7 last year in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. . .A huge game for Lanier, who is in a battle for a playoff spot with Eastside and Stephens County. . .Lumpkin County can play spoiler down the stretch with games against the Longhorns tonight and Stephens County next week. . .Lanier is averaging 30.8 ppg while the Lumpkin defense has allowed 34 ppg on the season. . .The Longhorns already have set a school record for wins in a season and are seeking their first-ever playoff spot. They own the tiebreakers with Stephens County and Eastside, which is tied for third place.
MILL CREEK at HABERSHAM CENTRAL
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Raiders Stadium, Mt. Airy
-- MILL CREEK (5-3, 3-3 Region 7-AAAAAA): Bye last week. Defeated Duluth 43-3 two weeks ago.
-- HABERSHAM CENTRAL (0-9, 0-7 Region 7-AAAAAA): Lost 27-14 to Duluth last week.
-- HISTORY: Mill Creek won 49-0 last year in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. . .It's the season finale for Habersham Central. . .The Hawks are trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. . .The Raiders' losing streak has now reached a school-record 12 games. . .Habersham has really struggled on offense scoring just 7.7 ppg. on the season.
NORTH FORSYTH at JOHN'S CREEK
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Raider Valley, Mt. Aity
-- NORTH FORSYTH (5-3, 2-3 Region 6-AAAAAA): Defeated Centennial 28-24 last week.
-- JOHN'S CREEK (0-8, 0-5 Region 6-AAAAAA): Lost 52-21 to South Forsyth last week.
-- HISTORY: John's Creek won 34-7 last year in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. . .The Raiders are still alive for a playoff spot but must win out while Lambert drops its last two games. . .North Forsyth snapped a three-game losing streak last week. . .The North Forsyth defense has allowed just 57 total points in the five wins but has yielded 29 ppg in its three losses.
NORTH GWINNETT at MOUNTAIN VIEW
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Mountain View Stadium, Lawrenceville
-- NORTH GWINNETT (7-1, 5-1 Region 7-AAAAAA): Lost 53-28 to Collins Hill last week. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 7 in Class AAAAAA.
-- MOUNTAIN VIEW (2-6, 2-4 Region 7-AAAAAA): Defeated Meadowcreek 49-13 last week.
-- HISTORY: North Gwinnett won 49-7 last year. The Bulldogs lead the series 3-0. . .Despite last week's loss, the Bulldogs can still win the region if they win out coupled with a Collins Hill loss. . .Defense has been a concern for North Gwinnett over the past month. After allowing just 31 total points with two shutouts in their first four games, the Bulldogs have surrendered 30 ppg over their past four games.. . .Mountain View has scored 13 points or less six times this season.
NORTH HALL at BANKS COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Leopards Stadium, Homer
-- NORTH HALL (7-1, 5-1 Region 7-AAA): Defeated West Hall 35-21 last week. The Trojans are ranked No. 6 in Class AAA.
-- BANKS COUNTY (0-8, 0-5 Region 7-AAA): Lost 33-7 to East Hall last week.
-- HISTORY: North Hall won 42-7 last year in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. . .The Trojans need a win to keep their region title hopes alive. They can still win the region if they win tonight and knock off Buford next week at The Brickyard. They would need White County to lose once in the final two weeks to win it outright. . .Banks County continues to struggle scoring just 9,o ppg on offense while the defense has allowed 34 ppg. . .North Hall has averaged 43.5 ppg behind QB Andrew Smith. . .The Trojans are just 3-3 in the last six road games.
STEPHENS COUNTY at EASTSIDE
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Sharp Stadium, Covington
-- STEPHENS COUNTY (4-4, 2-3 Region 8-AAAA):
-- EASTSIDE (5-3, 3-2 Region 8-AAAA):
-- HISTORY: Stephens County won 23-7 last year. The Indians lead the series 5-2. . .Stephens County has a chance to get off the rollercoaster and make the playoffs if they can knock off Eastside and beat Lumpkin County next week. Offense will be the key. In their four wins, the Indians have scored 146 points (36.5 ppg) but in their four losses they have scored just 21 points (5.2 ppg) and been shutout twice. . .Eastside has allowed 23.6 ppg on defense this season. The Eagles will finish the year against No. 4 Monroe Area on the road.
UNION COUNTY at SOCIAL CIRCLE
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Redskins Stadium, Social Circle
-- UNION COUNTY (5-3, 3-2 Region 8-AA): Lost 42-18 to Rabun County last week.
-- SOCIAL CIRCLE (0-8, 0-5 Region 8-AA): Lost 68-0 to Jefferson last week.
-- HISTORY: Union County won 31-0 last year. The Panthers lead the series 2-1. . .Social Circle is the midst of a 24-game losing streak going back to the 2011 season. The Redskins have scored just 32 total points (4.0 ppg) on the season and have yielded 391 points (48.8 ppg) for the season. . .Union County can still finish second in the region with wins tonight and next week over Jefferson and a Rabun County loss. The Panthers are averaging 33.2 ppg and have scored 34 or more points six times.
WHITE COUNTY at WEST HALL
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Spartans Stadium, Oakwood
-- RADIO: 550 AM
-- WHITE COUNTY (6-2, 4-1 Region 7-AAA): Defeated Dawson County 17-10 last week.
-- WEST HALL (5-3, 3-2 Region 7-AAA): Lost 35-21 to North Hall last week.
-- HISTORY: White County won 42-7 last year. The Warriors lead the series 9-8. . .This has been a streaky series. White County has won seven in a row over the Spartans after West Hall had won six straight in the series. . .A huge game for both teams. White County is still in line for a second-place finish if it can win its last two games and North Hall losses to Buford. . .West Hall needs one win to secure its first winning season since 2002 but a playoff spot may still come down to the Spartans season finale against Dawson County next week. . .West Hall would like to find the offensive from earlier in the season when they averaged 39 ppg and went 4-1. The Spartans have averaged just 16 ppg over their last three contests and have gone 1-2. . .White County has played outstanding defense over the past month. Take out the 42 points to Buford and the Warriors have allowed just 17 points with one shutout.
White County senior standout Dalton Whitfield (24) talks with teammates in a game played earlier this season. The Warriors travel to Oakwood in a key Region 7-AAA contest for both teams.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/11/267403